US: Chlorine dioxide technology subject of $12.5M patent lawsuit

Californian irrigation solutions provider Meras Engineering and greenhouse tomato grower Houweling's are involved in a long-running patent infringement lawsuit with CH20 Inc., a developer of a Chlorine dioxide irrigation water treatment technology.

CH20 has accused its competitor Meras and its customer Houwelings of willfully infringing CH20's patent which relates to the treatment of irrigation water with chlorine dioxide. CH20 Inc. wants to see $12.5 million as a compensation for the infringement.

Greenhouse grower Houweling's used CH20's technology to treat its irrigation water in the past. The grower eventually terminated CH2O’s services and hired the rival company because of 'a better quality system that resulted in higher crop yields.'

An attorney of Meras and Houweling's explained in an article on Law 360 that CH2O’s patent is invalid since it was an idea built off of pre-existing technology. "New components would have been “obvious” to a person skilled in water treatment matters", attorney Robert Golden of Lackenbach Siegel LLP said.

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